BioCUFF™- monitoring your vascular condition

Find out if you're at risk of cardiovascular disease risk with the world's first at-home arterial stiffness monitor.

What are the benefits of the Bio Cuff?

Measures arterial stiffness

Measures blood pressure and heart rate

Stores up to 30 readings to show trends over time

Enables you to assess your cardiovascular health at home

Gives an early warning before heart attack strikes

Why measure arterial stiffness?

We know that being overweight, having high cholesterol, and suffering from high blood pressure all put our cardiovascular health at risk. We also know that exercising more, not smoking, reducing our alcohol intake, and eating a balanced diet can help us to reduce those risks.

However, few of us know about the hidden dangers of arterial stiffness and how to measure it. This is where the Bio Cuff can help to save lives. Arteries, which transport blood around the body, need to be flexible to work at their best. As we age, and the effects of certain lifestyle factors take hold, our arteries stiffen, increasing our risk of heart attack or stroke.

The hidden dangers of arterial stiffness

According to experts, arterial stiffness is one of the most important indicators of cardiovascular health. However, many people with stiffened arteries are unaware of the problem until they suffer a potentially life-threatening heart attack.

How does the Bio Cuff measure arterial stiffness?

The Bio Cuff assesses the condition of your arteries to provide a 'stiffness index'.

Measuring arterial pulse wave velocity

As your heart beats, the aortic valve opens and receives a rush of blood from the heart. Pressure is transmitted from the walls of the heart to the walls of the arteries in a pulse wave. The Bio Cuff measures arterial stiffness by recording the speed of these pulse waves, your 'arterial pulse wave velocity', which reflects the stiffness of your arteries.

Providing an easy-to-read measurement

The readout on the Bio Cuff provides an easy-to-read measurement of stiffness.

Green: your arteries are healthy

Yellow: your arteries are beginning to stiffen

Red: your arteries are already hardening.

It also tells you your pulse rate and blood pressure.

Over time, you can use the Bio Cuff to measure the continuing state of your arterial health as it stores the results of up to 30 tests. The results will enable you to make important changes to your lifestyle and keep your physician apprised of your arterial health.

Video

Bio Clip Cuff

Label

Indications for use:

The device is a non-invasive monitor intended for use in measuring blood pressure and pulse rate in adult population.

The device also estimates the arterial complicance (elasticity of arterial wall) during measurement and gives an indication with readings.

Only a physician is qualified to interpret changes in your blood pressure. This device is not intended to replace regular medical examinations. It is recommended that your physician review your procedure for using this monitor. Never make adjustments to your medication unless it is the advice of a physician.

Warning

This device is intended for adult use. Do not allow children to play with this device.

Do not wrap the cuff around any parts of the body other than an adult’s arm.

Substitution of a component different from that supplied might result in measurement error.

Caution

The H-Value technology requires 5 to 15 minutes rest before taking every measurement.

USER’s GUIDE

What is Arterial Hardness Indication and How to Interpret the Results Correctly?

Regular medical check-ups play an important role in your personal health management. We hope this Arterial Hardness Indication (H-Value) will motivate you to lead a healthier lifestyle, and it could also act as a reminder for you not to forget your regular check up, or even seek an earlier appointment (e.g. If the average of H-Value constantly indicated 7-8 bars).

Besides measuring blood pressure and pulse, this device also estimates the compliance (elasticity) of your brachial artery during blood pressure measurement. This H-Value indication is a result of the measurement on brachial artery, which may or may not reflect the arterial hardness condition of the entire body.

Definititions

1) Arterial Hardness – Arterial hardness describes a biological change in the physical property of the arteries in particular the property of elasticity. If hardening of the arteries is not controlled, it can lead to further complications in the blood vessels of the heart and the brain. The harder your arteries are, the less elastic they are. This unique technology has been given three different names as AHI (Arterial Hardness Indication) or ASI (Arterial Stiffness Indication) or H-Value (degree of arterial hardness).

2) Arteriosclerosis – This means a person’s arteries have hardened to such a serious degree that a physician would diagnose it as a disease. Such disease may induce Stroke or Heart Attack etc. The degree of Arteriosclerosis is difficult to diagnose since it progresses slowly and silently. Caution: This device does not estimate Arteriosclerosis.

Correct Steps and Procedure

1) A single measurement of BP and H-Value reflects only the moment of measurement, similar to BP, the H-Value fluctuates due to emotion, stress, nervousness, temperature and some medications.

Daily fluctuations (2-5 bars) of H-Value is considerably normal.

2) The best use of this unique technology is to help you to monitor the current status and the future trend of your arterial hardness. You must build a base of the AVERAGE of your H-Value by taking around 30 measurements. When turning the power off, the LCD display will show the AVERAGE value from all the previous measurements. (30 maximum)

It helps to remind and motivate you to decrease (or least to maintain) the AVERAGE number of bars, either by improving your lifestyle or consulting your doctor.

Classification: Blood Pressure

The classifications provided in this manual are recommendation for reference only and are revised by their respective publishers from time to time. They are for reference only, and must not be sued for self-diagnosis by patients. Any treatment or medication adjustment must be given by doctors only.

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure has published the following chart to classify blood pressure:

Category

Systolic (mm/Hg)

Diastolic

Normal*

Less than 120

and

Less than 80

Pre-hypertension

120-139

or

80-89

Hypertension

Stage 1

140-159

or

90-99

Stage 2

160 or higher

or

100 or higher

*Unusually low reading should be evaluated for clinical significance.

Hints for Accurate Measurement.

1) Rest 5-15 minutes before taking a measurement, and remain still during testing.

2) Remove any heavy clothing on the upper arm (shirts are acceptable). Constriction of the upper arm caused by rolling up a shirt sleeve may cause an inaccurate reading.

3) Refrain from eating, smoking, and drinking (especially alcoholic beverages) before a measurement. These activities can affect your blood pressure.

4) Do not be concerned with the results of one measurement. Many measurements, recorded over a long period of time will provide a better indication of both your blood pressure and / or arterial hardness.

5) Please relax for at least 5 minutes before taking another measurement.

6) Many factors can affect your blood pressure and / or arterial hardness indication, such as exercising, eating, talking, moving, nervousness, environment and temperature changes. Emotional stress can cause an increase in blood pressure, and / or the arterial hardness. Daily fluctuations of 25 to 50mmHg or up to 3 bars are common for many people.

7) Remember that blood pressure and arterial hardness vary continuously throughout the day. Try to take your arterial hardness reading at the same time each day.

Correct Posture of Measurement

To obtain the most accurate blood pressure and H-Value measurement, please follow these important directions.

Be seated in a chair with back support

Rest your arm on a table to the cuff is at the same level as your heart

Place both feet on the ground.

NOTE: The arm cuff must be at the same level as your heart, or accurate measurement will not be possible. (Your heart is located slightly below your left armpit.) If the cuff is 10cm higher or lower than the heart, then the blood pressure will be 8mm/Hg lower or higher.

Device Preparation

Battery Installation / Replacement

1) Flip open the batter cover in the direction of the arrow

2) Install or replace the four alkaline AA batteries, noting the proper orientation of positive and negative terminals of the batteries in the battery compartment.

3) Replace the batter cover

4) If the Low Battery Symbol appears on the display, replace all batteries with new ones. Do not mix with any old battery, it will cause the new batteries to die very quickly.

5) Remove the batteries if the unit will not be used for an extended period of time.

Note: Batteries are hazardous waste. Do not dispose with the household garbage.

Note: The following battery replacement procedure will help you keep the measurement memory, inflation level and the date / time setting.

1) Replace one battery at a time. You have about 10 seconds for changing each battery before the memory and other settings are deleted.

2) Do not touch any button when charging the battery.

Setting Date and Time

For saving subsequent measurements with correct date and time, you have to set date and time after installation of batteries.

1) After the batteries have been properly installed, “0:00” and “1-1” will appear as time and date respectively.

2) Press the Mode button repeatedly; the individual figure will start blinking sequentially from month, day, hour, then to minute.

3) After you have selected a desired column (month, day, hour or minute), indicated by the blinking digit, press the Adjust button to make adjustment to the current date and time.

4) After setting the correct date and time, press the Mode button or Start / Stop button to exit the date / time setting mode.

Note: When the batteries are removed from the device, date / time needs to be set again.

How to Apply the Arm Cuff

(Preferably on the left arm)

1) Insert the end of the cuff through the metal D-ring to make a loop (Make sure that the Velcro stays outside when it is done)

2) Wear the arm cuff with the hose downward. Pull the end of the cuff and secure it snugly with the Velcro.

3) Adjust the cuff that the bottom edge is about 1 inch above the elbow on the inside of the left arm. Pelase mind the red button on the cuff covers the brachial artery.

4) Plug in the air tube connector tightly to the monitor.

Setting Inflation Level

Press Adjust button to select the proper inflation level. There are 3 preset levels: 180, 210 and 240 mm/Hg. Start taking measurements with the level 180 mm/Hg. If the setting is too low, the device will automatically re-inflate to a higher setting. If the device re-inflates every time you take a reading, you are advised to set the inflation level one level higher. It is not necessary to set inflation level every time you take a reading. If you do not change the inflation level, the unit will inflate to the level set previously.

By removing the batteries, the unit will reset the pressure setting to 180 mm/Hg.

Taking a Measurement

Please review the previous sections on proper placement of the cuff and proper arm position.

1) After the cuff has been properly placed on either the right or left arm, press the Start / Stop button. All symbols on the LCD display will appear momentarily follow by inflation level.

2) After the display reads “0”, the cuff will automatically inflate to the preset pressure, and will then begin to slowly deflate.

Note: If a downward arrow sign is displayed instead, unplug the tube and press the cuff to force out the remaining pressure. Plug the tube and continue.

3) The heart symbol will appear indicating that the measurement is in progress. The cuff will be quite snug for a short while, this is normal. Try to remain relaxed, refrain from talking, and be as still as possible during the measurement.

4) After a successful measurement, the unit deflates the cuff and displays the result on the LCD.

Note: to end a measurement for any reason, just press Start / Stop button to turn off the unit and the cuff pressure will be released.

Note: If during a measurement the power drops to an insufficient level, the unit will end the measurement and display the low battery symbol. Please replace the batteries (alkaline type).

Note: If the unit cannot detect your pulse, it will end the measurement attempt. It could be that the cuff was put on loosely. Relax for a few minutes, make sure that the cuff is put on properly and try again.

Note: The unit will automatically shut off 3 minutes following a reading, or it can be turned off manually by pressing the Start / Stop button.

Arterial Hardness Indicator

After your first blood pressure reading, the unit displays your arterial hardness average in the Arterial Hardness Indicator section of the LCD display with current date and time when you turn off the unit. For more information on Arterial Hardness Indicator please refer to Part One: User’s Guide.

Memory Record

This unit has a memory feature. When a valid measurement is made, the data is stored in the memory automatically when the unit is turned off, automatically shuts off, or when another measurement is initiated.

The unit is capable of storing 30 readings and computes the average from all the reading results in memory. When the 30 memories are full, the oldest records will be deleted as the new readings are being recorded, and the memory will maintain a moving average of the latest 30 readings.

Memory Recall

To recall your readings, press the Memory button. The average will be displayed first, indicated by No-A on the upper right hand corner. Two seconds later the Date / Time will be displayed. After alternatively displayed twice, the unit will exit memory mode and Return to Arterial Hardness Indicator display if the Memory button is not pressed again before it exits the memory mode.

Note: Smaller memory number represents newer entry. Up to 30 previous readings can be recalled. You may press the Start / Stop button at any time to exit memory mode and return to stand-by mode.

Memory Erase

If you let anyone else use this unit, that person’s reading result will be stored. To prevent memory mix up, you should erase that person’s reading record(s). To erase a record, press the Memory button to enter the memory mode. Press it again to see “No-1” shown on the display. Press and hold the Adjust button until you see “clr” appears on the display. The device will return to stand-by mode automatically, which is an indication that you have successfully erased the record. Repeat the same procedure if that person took more than one reading. No matter how many readings a person takes, you would always erase the record that display “No-1”. For example, if you took three readings, you would erase record “No-1” three times.

Note: when taking a measurement, the memory button is inactive.

Note: When the batteries are removed from the device, all records of reading will be erased. If you want to keep the memory and other settings, please refer to the Battery Installation / Replacement section.

Troubleshooting, Maintenance and other Information

Error Indicators:

Display

Possible Causes of Error

ERR

330

Indication

Cuff pressure reaches 330 mm/Hg

Cause

Twisted bladder inside of the cuff

Correction

Make sure that the bladder lays flat within the cuff

ERR

Indication

Display Err, cuff pressure releases and “0” pressure display

Cause

Excessive arm movement or talking during measurement

Correction

Take the measurement again while keeping still

Indication

Could not obtain pulse rate

Cause

Cuff was loosely applied, extremely weak pulse, or arrhythmia

Correction

Reapply cuff and measure again

Pul Err

Indication

Could not obtain pulse rate

Cause

Cuff was loosely applied, extremely weak pulse or arrhythmia

Correction

Reapply cuff and measure again

Picture of battery crossed through

Indication

Batteries are exhausted

Correct

Replace with four new alkaline AA batteries*

*For safety and efficacy reason, this device requires high level of voltage to maintain operation. Therefore, the batteries deem unusable for this device still hold 2/3 of capacity. For environmental consideration, please try to use them for other devices that require less voltage, such as radio or devices without moving part (motor) before discarding them.

Troubleshooting

Problem

Recommended Action

Nothing appears in display

Make sure that the batteries are installed in the proper direction (Polarity matches to the indication in the batter case)

No measurement occurs

Check the cuff is positioned properly, go over the measurement procedure again

Blood pressure reading is higher or lower than usual, or the readings fluctuate

Check if the cuff is positioned properly. Rest your arm on a table so that the cuff is level with your hear during the measurement. Please read section on Measurement Fluctuation and Correct posture of Measurement.

Care and Maintenance

· Keep the unit out of high temperatures, high humidity and direct sunlight.

· Keep sharp objects away from the cuff

· Do not press the Start / Stop button without the cuff around your arm to avoid excess pressure to build up, which may damage the cuff

· Use the unit at a sufficient distance with strong electrical fields, such as television, microwave ovens, X-ray equipment etc

· Do not subject the unit to strong impacts, or drop it on the floor

· Remove the batteries when the unit is to be stored for extended periods of time to prevent chemical leakage from the batteries, which will damage the unit.

· Use only a soft, dry cloth to clean the unit. Do not use solvents or other petroleum based cleaners.

· This devise requires no recalibration unless it is dropped to the floor, or other high impact situations

· Circuit diagram and repairable part can be provided if it’s necessary.

Note: Removing the batteries will erase all readings in memory, and reset Date and Time

Sensor Calibration Mode

You need proper equipment to calibrate this device; therefore do not attempt to do this by yourself. You may damage the unit. If by accident, you enter into the calibration mod by pressing the Memory button and the Start / Stop button at the same time, you will see two zeros appear in the LCD. Press the Start / Stop button to exit the calibration mode.

AC/DC Adaptor

If you would like to buy an AC/DC adaptor, please pay attention to the voltage and amp requirements stated in the Specification section.

Measurement Accuracy

The blood pressure measuring device bears the CE (conformity) label "CE 0044". The quality of the device has been verified and conforms to the provisions of the EC council directive 93/42/EEC on medical devices, as well as the EMC directive 89/336/EEC:

Details

Policies

Declaration : These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drugs Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. See our terms and conditions for more information.